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    American Samoa Click here for the Pacific Newsroom

    16,512

    Total Church Membership

    29.91% 1-in-4

    Population vs. Church Members

    5

    Stakes

    43

    Congregations

    38 Wards
    5 Branches

    5

    FamilySearch Centers

    5

    History

    In 1863 Kimo Pelio and Samuela Manoa—two missionaries sent from Hawai‘i—brought the restored gospel to the Samoan Islands. Due to disruptions in the Church in Hawai‘i, the additional missionaries they expected never arrived, but both chose to remain on the islands. In 1888 Joseph and Florence Dean arrived to formally open a mission. By 1900, when Samoa was divided into a western, German-governed territory and an eastern, American-governed territory, there were over 1,000 Latter-day Saints on the islands.

    In the early 1900s, in addition to teaching the gospel, the Church organized schools and helped build up Mapusaga as a gathering center. As the Church became more established in the mid-20th century, many American Samoans learned career and Church leadership skills while serving as labor missionaries. In 1969 the first stake in American Samoa was organized.

    In 1977 President Spencer W. Kimball announced plans to build a temple in Pago Pago, American Samoa, but the location of the temple was later changed to Apia, Samoa. American Samoan Saints “gave after their ability” (Ezra 2:69) to help build the Apia temple, which was dedicated in 1983. The Church in American Samoa has continued to grow: by 2012 there were five stakes in American Samoa, and in 2019 President Russell M. Nelson announced new plans for a temple in Pago Pago.

    For Journalist Use Only

    Richard Hunter
    New Zealand
    Phone: 64(9)488-5572
    Mobile: 64-21-240-7804

    E-mail

    Africa

    Total Church Membership

    Members
    Congregations

    736,701

    Members

    2,476

    Congregations

    Missions

    39Missions

    FamilySearch Centers

    343

    Temples

    5Temples

    Asia

    Total Church Membership

    Members
    Congregations

    1,259,094

    Members

    2,110

    Congregations

    Missions

    45Missions

    FamilySearch Centers

    363

    Temples

    8Temples

    Europe

    Total Church Membership

    Members
    Congregations

    500,239

    Members

    1,350

    Congregations

    Missions

    34Missions

    FamilySearch Centers

    658

    Temples

    14Temples

    North America

    Total Church Membership

    Members
    Congregations

    9,489,479

    Members

    18,476

    Congregations

    Missions

    174Missions

    FamilySearch Centers

    2,621

    Temples

    112Temples

    Oceania (Pacific)

    Total Church Membership

    Members
    Congregations

    587,462

    Members

    1,301

    Congregations

    Missions

    18Missions

    FamilySearch Centers

    314

    Temples

    10Temples

    South America

    Total Church Membership

    Members
    Congregations

    4,232,425

    Members

    5,602

    Congregations

    Missions

    97Missions

    FamilySearch Centers

    1,106

    Temples

    21Temples